The Chicago Business Barometer rose slightly in March after hitting a five and a half year low in February. The MNI Indicators survey of purchasing and supply professionals rose 0.5 points to 46.3 in March. However, any level below 50.0 indicates business conditions are shrinking and not increasing so the 46.3 number is not a […]
The Chicago Business Barometer fell to a five and one-half year low in February. The MNI Indicators survey of purchasing and supply professionals plunged 13.6 points to 45.8 in February. It was the first contraction of the Barometer since April 2013 and the lowest level since July 2009. The West Coast port slowdown and frigid […]
The Chicago Business Barometer rose 0.6 points in January to 59.4 from a revised reading of 58.8 in December. The increased manufacturing activity follows two consecutive months of declines. The index showed a modest increase in a new orders, order backlogs and production, driving employment to a 14-month high. Inflationary pressures eased for the fourth […]
The Chicago Business Barometer dropped 5.4 points to 60.8 in November, wiping out October’s sharp increase, and moving closer to September’s level of 60.5. Manufacturing growth continues but at a slower pace. New orders slid 11.7 points to 61.9 following a one year high in October. Overall, barring an unexpected December decline, orders should be […]
The Chicago Business Barometer surprised economists with jump to 66.2 from 60.5 in September, well above the forecast decline to 60.0. The reading on this month’s purchasing manager index was the highest since October 2013. The index average for third quarter was 59.1 but in the last three months the index has averaged 63.6—an indicator […]
The Chicago Business Barometer fell 3.8 points to 60.5 in September. The headline index in the report by MNI Indicators was lower than economist predictions of 62.0 report but well above the neutral 50 reading. The average Barometer reading for third quarter was 59.1, indicating a healthy growth for the economy. Production and new orders […]
The Chicago Business Barometer rebounded in August to 64.3, gaining 11.7 points and making up the decline in July’s Purchasing Manager Index (PMI). The August jump confirmed that July’s weakness was only temporary, according to Philip Uglow, Chief Economist at MNI Indicators. Production rose by 20 points to its greatest monthly increase in ten years. […]
The Chicago Business Barometer plunged 10 points to 52.6 in July, falling at the quickest rate since October 2008 and to the lowest level since June 2013. The fall surprised Bloomberg economists who were expecting the Index to rise slightly to 63 from a reading of 62.6 in June. The decline was attributed to a […]
The Chicago Business Barometer slipped 2.9 points to 62.6 in June, but the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and MNI Indicators says the barometer continues to be high and “consistent with a bounceback in Q2 GDP.” The barometer gained momentum in Q2 to an average reading of 63.7, staying above 60 for three months in […]
The Chicago Business Barometer reached its highest level since October, climbing 2.5 point to 65.5. The new reading, when taken with other economic indicators, shows a strong recovery in the second quarter after a lackluster start to the year. This is good news for the flat rolled steel industry in North America. With winter finally […]
Economic data released in April indicated signs of slower growth in the economy. Survey participants, however, continue to be optimistic about business activity during the next three to six months. The Architecture Billings Index fell to 48.8 in April, indicating contraction after hovering just above the neutral point for the last two months. The protracted […]
The Chicago Business Barometer increased at its fastest pace in six months to a reading of 63.0 in April from 59.9. The three month moving average registers just below 60 which is an indication of continued recovery for economy. New orders and production led the rise in activity along with improvements in order backlogs and […]
The March Chicago Business Barometer slid to its lowest level since August, down 3.9 points to 55.9. The Barometer averaged 58.4 during the first quarter of 2014 indicating recovery but was down from the 2.5 year high of 63.3 in Q4 2013. First quarter results were likely impacted by the harsh weather during the quarter. […]
New residential sales of single-family homes dropped in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 440,000 according to estimates by the Commerce Department. Sales were 3.3 percent below the revised January rate of 455,000 and 1.1 percent below the February 2013 estimate of 445,000. Inventory was still tight at 189,000, a 5.2 month supply. […]
The Chicago Business Barometer indicated firm growth in February while remaining essentially unchanged at 59.8 in February compared to 59.6 in January, according to MNI Indicators. Production, new orders, and backlogs expanded at a slower rate offsetting double digit growth in employment. Prices paid dropped in February following price increases by suppliers in January. Inventories […]
The Chicago PMI slipped 1.2 points to 59.6 in January from a revised 60.8 in December. The index, formally known as the Chicago Business Barometer, fell for the third consecutive month but was still firmly above the 50.0 mark that indicates expansion. Employment weakened in January to a reading of 49.2, slipping into contraction for […]
The Empire State Manufacturing Index showed disappointing manufacturing conditions for December. The survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported the general index at 1.0, up three points from November but indicating almost no change in activity for the month. The future outlook index was slightly less optimistic than November with all indices […]
The Empire State Manufacturing Index showed disappointing manufacturing conditions for December. The survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported the general index at 1.0, up three points from November but indicating almost no change in activity for the month. The future outlook index was slightly less optimistic than November with all indices […]
The Chicago Business Barometer slipped 3.9 points to 59.1 in December. It is the second consecutive month that the barometer has fallen but the reading well above 50 indicates expansion is still strong although moderating. New Orders, Production and Order Backlogs continued to expand but at a slower rate. Employment fell to just above the […]
The Chicago Business Barometer surged 10.2 points to 65.9 in October—it’s highest reading since March 2011 and its biggest monthly gain in 30 years. Double digit growth was seen in New Orders, Production and Order Backlogs. The October government shutdown seemed to have little effect on Chicago area businesses. New orders shot up to their […]
The Chicago Business Barometer edged up 0.7 points in August, registering 53 from a reading of 52.3 in July, according to MNI Indicators. A gain in New Orders and Backlogs helped push the indicator upwards. The slight increase, however, indicates stabilization after an erratic second quarter. MNI reports the Barometer is still too close to […]
The Chicago Purchasing Managers reported the Chicago Business Barometer rose again, up 1.2 points to 56.8, its highest level since last March. There was improvement in New Orders, Order Backlogs, and Supplier Deliveries while Production and Employment expanded at a slower pace. New orders reported its third consecutive monthly gain and 11-month high while order […]